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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mark — a grade
  3. kid — child
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rule — government
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. fork — in a road
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rule — a law
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mark — a trace
  16. kid — to tease
  17. land — to come down
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — a country
  21. suit — clothes
  22. land — ground
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mark — to pay attention

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com